


i don't need you to respect me, i respect me.

by sanctify (orphan_account)



Series: ☆ strong in the real way - marinette week 2020 ☆ [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Marinette Week 2020, i couldn't insert more marigami even though i wanted to but that is not what the story is about, implied marigami, kill your traditionalism with KINDNESS AND LOVE, slowly but surely reintroducing rolland to MODERN SOCIETY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23371729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sanctify
Summary: i don't need you to love me, i love me.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Rolland Dupain
Series: ☆ strong in the real way - marinette week 2020 ☆ [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677403
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	i don't need you to respect me, i respect me.

**Author's Note:**

> i _think_ i might have gotten my writing juices back up. WHO KNOWS. but here you go!
> 
> DAY 3: GRANDPA

After that initial meeting with Rolland, Marinette hasn’t seen much of her grandfather.

While it was to be expected, she still feels upset. You really can’t teach an old dog new tricks. It was wishful thinking on her part that things would magically be fixed after her father’s birthday. Rolland’s not used to people anymore. Rolland’s too proud to accept that he’s wrong. Rolland’s too conservative. Rolland is too distrusting of modernization.

Her father is upset too, but not as much as she is. “I’m used to it, sweetheart,” Tom had said, smiling ruefully when she mentioned her thoughts. “While it is a miracle that you were able to make him step foot here, my father is a very proud man. It’ll probably be a while before I see him again.”

Sabine, on the other hand, is upset and relieved. “I never really liked your grandfather. He’s too… much, you know?” She says, kneading dough more forcefully than advised. “He’s too focused on the old ways. Too unaccepting of change. Not to mention his thinly-veiled racism.” Sabine scoffs. “I’m not blind, I know how he looked at me the moment he first laid eyes on me.” She stops, sighing. “But I’m more upset in him for ignoring your father all these years. Tom doesn’t deserve that.”

Marinette had asked Tikki what she thought she should do, and Tikki, bless her soul, told her, “Sometimes you have to leave people like that alone, Marinette. While it’s always good to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, your grandfather is old and, as your parents have said, too proud. You won’t be able to change his mind immediately just because you showed him that putting rice in bread actually tastes good. You’ll have to wait until he comes to that decision, the decision to change, himself.”

But Marinette has never been good with waiting. Marinette tried. But she really is impatient.

So, she begins visiting her grandfather monthly.

Their first few meetings, Rolland looked displeased; as if seeing her again was a curse instead. That slowly changed. She hated it, impatient as she was, but she could play the waiting game with her grandfather. He was family, dammit. She wasn’t going to leave him alone now that she knew who he was, what he did, and where he lived.

Rolland got used to her eventually, and these monthly visits have become the new normal for them both, maintaining the contact for four years now (and counting, hopefully!). Rolland even started looking forward to their meetings. He listened intently (pretending he didn’t) to her stories: getting lost in the Metro, her new sewing machine that works like a charm, the new blender that her family received from one of their loyal customers, misplacing her tablet that had all her school notes in it, her best friends Alya, Nino, Adrien, Kagami… everything she could talk about. Rolland never told her anything in return, though. It was just the usual. Bread in, bread out. Rolland was too proud to admit that Marinette filled the quiet spaces with her cheerfulness. He hated to admit that he’s grown to love his granddaughter a lot. He wasn’t there to watch her grow up, having been estranged from his son before Tom even got married.

He begins to regret that.

But he’s too proud to admit that he’s sorry for doing that to his son, to his wife… and so he lives vicariously through his granddaughter.

* * *

“Hello, grand-père!”

“You’re quite early today.”

“Well, I, um, this might be the last time in a while before I get to visit you again…”

“Oh?”

“I got in!” She squealed happily, “I got accepted into IFA Paris!” She did that little jiggle she did when she was excited.

Rolland smiled fondly at his granddaughter, “I never had a doubt.”

“Thank you!” She hugged him. (That was a new thing. They never hugged before. But one time, she had come over and her head wasn’t in the game, as she said, and then Rolland had sat her down, in his rare (at the time) moments of kindness, and asked her what was wrong. That was the first time he’d ever seen her cry. And curse his heart, he was weak to the sight of a woman in tears. He had offered her his handkerchief and a shoulder to cry on. They’ve been hugging a lot more after that. He won’t say it, but he’s missed the warmth of another person’s hugs. He used to hug his wife a lot before… before everything.)

After the hug, she grabbed an apron and soon they were kneading the dough together. The silence was comfortable, unlike what it was all those years ago.

“So, university?” He asks.

“Yes! I’ll be able to choose my schedules, so I never have to deal with waking up for morning classes ever again. I’m already looking for studio-type apartments with Baba near the university so that it isn’t a hassle trying to get there every day from home. Maman and I are going to be buying furniture tomorrow. It’s all so exciting and nerve-wracking!”

“It’s a whole new environment. You be careful out there, alright? There are plenty of oddballs in Paris now.” Supervillains, bah! Back in his day, he didn’t have to worry about something as ridiculous as that.

“Don’t worry, grand-père. I’m sure Ladybug, Chat Noir, and their superhero friends will keep the streets of Paris safe.”

And that was another thing. Superheroes. Dieu, things were insane outside now.

“I guess. Also, university is a good time to find yourself a good man. Don’t settle for living alone like this old man.” He said, huffing as he placed their dough into the oven. His old bones were having a hard time manning the ovens now, but he doesn’t have assistants, and frankly, he doesn’t want assistants.

“About that…” Marinette started.

“Hm?”

“Grand-père, what would you do if… well,” Marinette started twiddling her thumbs together, not looking at him. Odd how she could make herself look so small when he was pretty sure she was taller than he was now.

“Marinette?”

“Grand-père, what if I told you I was… gay?” Marinette asked, looking at him, fear in her eyes.

Rolland paused at that.

The old Rolland would have reacted with disgust. He would have recoiled away in shock, lips curled into a sneer. But that was the old Rolland. And he didn’t even know he changed enough for there to be an old Rolland. He looked at his granddaughter, who was still looking at him in trepidation, waiting. Waiting for what? For him to get angry, to kick her out, to tell her to never come back?

“Well,” he started, looking for the words.

He… doesn’t want to hurt Marinette. She has, against all odds, become so dear to him. She’s been his only link to the world outside these days. Does he really want to drive her away just because he can’t accept… does he even not accept her for who she likes?

No. No, that’s not the case. It’s not the case because… it doesn’t matter to him. He could hardly give a shit if he tried.

“So, you’re… dating a girl?”

“Yes,” she says, voice so soft. “Have been for a while now.”

“And does this… girl make you happy?”

“More than anything,” Marinette smiles, eyes going soft with fondness and affection.

Rolland’s never seen her look like that before. Whoever this girl was, was doing right by Marinette.

And really, that’s… that’s all that mattered to him.

That his granddaughter was happy.

“Then that’s okay.”

“Really?!”

Rolland nodded, smiling softly at his granddaughter. “It’s okay.”

The hug he receives is tight, tearful, warm, and happy.

He’s happy.

* * *

Ring, ring, ring.

Ring, ring, ring.

_ “Hello, Tom & Sabine’s Boulange—Père?” _

“Hello, son.”

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: [reflekdoll](http://twitter.com/reflekdoll)


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